Laminates of a polyolefin, a maleic acid anhydride modified olefin polymer wax and printing ink



ni e ee Pee LAMINATES OF "ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A laminate of a polyolefin and'a printing ink free of the polymer Wax subsequently described adhered to the surface thereof by an adhesion promoter consisting of a modified olefin polymer wax having. a molecularweight of from about 1,000 to about 5,000 reacted with maleic acid anhydride. i

This application is a'continuation of copendingapplication Ser. No. 453,503, filed May 6, 1965, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 203,441, filed June 1Q, 1962, now abandoned. V

This invention relates to decorative coatings on polyolefin surfaces. More particularly, the invention relates to achieving adherent decorative coatings comprising paint or ink coatings on polyolefin surfaces, especially polyolefin film surfaces. The invention relates to method for achieving such coatings and compositions useful in suchmethod. v v, H I

The rapid growth of polyolefins as packaging-materials e.g., as packaging film, packaging material. coatings and molded containers such as bottles, especially blowmolded bottles has stimulated much research into means, for printing thereon pictorial and written descriptions of package contents and directions for use and brand identification. Coatings servingv an informative and/or attractive function are herein termed decorative coatings? and the term thus includes surface coloration whether or not coextensive with the coated surface, and lettered coatings, as well as coatings constituting pictures or symbols.

Attempt's'to achieve satisfactory decorative coatings have heretofore been stymied by the total inertn ess of polyolefin surfaces which has precluded adhesion of known printing materials. Efforts to overcome this problem have up to now been largely centered on removing the inherent inertness of the polyolefin surface. Thus,

techniques such as corona discharge, irradiation, chromic acid treatment and others have been employed to make decorative coating of polyolefin film feasible. I

The difficulty with these techniques is that they modify the single most important property of the polyolefin, and the reason why it is a good packaging material in the first place, namely its inert character. I v

It is an object of the present invention to provide satisfactory decorative coatings on polyolefin surfaces. It

is another object to provide method for satisfactorily decoratively coating polyolefin surfaces. It is another object to provide polyolefin surface receptive to decorative coating. It is another object to provide decorative coating adapted to adhere well to polyolefin surfaces. It is another object to provide decoratively coated polyolefin 3,399,071 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 Ice surfaces which are-readily made adherent to a wide variety of polymeric, cellulosic, metallic and other substrates. It is still another object to provide laminates comprising a decoratively coated polyolefin surface anda substrate. Other objects will appear hereinafter. I

It has now been discovered in accordance with the present invention that decorative coating of polyolefin surfaces is achieved by bn'ngingto the interface'o'f the polyolefin surface andthe decorative coating a carboxylic reagent modified olefin polymer wax.

I p In particular it has been found that polyolefin surfaces can bedecorativelycoated, e.g., colored, uniformly or variegatedly, or printed with pictorial or literal information by placing between the polyolefin surface and the decorative coating a layer of a carboxylic reagent modified olefin polymer wax. This interposition can be accomplished by pre-coating the polyolefin surface prior to application of the decorative coating with the modified wax, or alternatively, the modified olefin polymer wax can be incorporated in the polyolefin prior to final fabrication and in an amount sufiicient to ensure enough modified wax at the ultimate surface of the polyolefin to provide adhesion to the decorative coating, or, as a third alternative, the modified wax can be added to the decorative coating which will then comprise the modified wax, and conventional vehicles and colorants. In the last alternative, the decoratively coated portions of the polyolefin surface are potentially adherent to other substrates, notably other polyolefins and polymers, foils of aluminum and the like and cellulosic substrates, such as cardboard, Cellophane and paper.

The decorative coating method and composition of the present invention are advantageously employed in decoratively coating all normally solid polyolefins, e.g., those polyolefins having molecular weights of about 10,000 and above, whether crystalline or amorphous or partly each, and whether of high, low or intermediate density.

The term polyole is used in the present specification and claims to denote normally solid homopolymers of alpha mono-olefinically unsaturated hydrocarbons as Well as normally solid copolymers thereof, with one or more other organic compounds capolymerizable therewith which contain polymer producing onsaturation, such as is present for example in carbon monoxide and formaldehyde and in compounds containing the ethylene linkage C=C e.g., styrene, vinyl stearate, butene, vinyl acetate, vinyl forma te, methacrylate, monobutyl maleate, Z-ethyl hexyl acrylate, N-methyl-N-vinyl acetamide, methacrylic acid, ethyl acrylate, acrylic acid, isoprene, butadiene, acrylami-de, vinyl triethoxysilane, bicycloheptene, bicycloheptadiene, divinyl phosphonate and the like. Many other copoly-merizable monomers which can be used in addition to these illustrative compounds are well known to the art. Preferred polyolefins :in this invention contain at least 10 percent by Weight of a combined alpha mono-olefinically unsaturated hydrocarbon having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms inclusive, i.e., butenel, propylene and especially ethylene.

The term modified-olefin polymer wax refers to low molecular weight waxes, e.g., molecular Weight from about 1000 to about 5000 of polyolefins as that term is defined in the paragraph next above which have been reacted with a carboxylic reagent as defined below. The method of preparation of the carboxylic reagent modiis in no wise critical. For example, these waxes can be prepared in general by reaction of a carboxylic reagent with a molecular weight ethylene polymer, polymerized directly to that weight, or a low molecular weight polymer obtained by the pyrolysis or thermal degradation of a high molecular weight polyethylene e.g., having a density of from 0.88 to 0.97 and higher. Preferably the polyethylene to be pyrolyzed is substantially linear and has a density of 0.94 to 0.97 as these pyrolysis products after modification provide the best adhesion. The pyrolysis is conveniently carried out in a heated pyrolysis tube at about 450600 C. but can be effected in any known manner.

In a preferred method of preparing the modified olefin polymer waxes, an olefin polymer wax e.g., an ethylene polymer wax having a density above about 0.94 and a molecular weight of from about 1500 to 5000 is blended in the liquid phase, i.e., in the melt or in solution with from 1 to 25 percent by weight of a carboxylic reagent, e.g., maleic anhydride, and reacted by being agitated therewith at temperatures of from about 130 C. to about 250 C. and preferably above 180 C. with lower density ethylene polymer waxes, reaction temperatures of 80 C. and above are suitable. What is required is that the reaction mixture be agitatable. The blending and agitation can be carried out in any manner which insures intimate comingling of the reactants and good heat transfer throughout the reaction mass during the reaction time. For example, the olefin polymer wax can [be dissolved in an inert liquid organic solvent for the wax and carboxylic reagent such as toluene, xylene, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, isooctane and chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents such as orthodichlorobenzene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane and a-chloronaphthalene. The dissolving of a polyethylene wax is most conveniently accomplished at temperatures above 110 C. in aromatic solvents, for higher density polyethylenes.

It is preferred to effect reaction in the melt in the ab sence of an organic solvent by heating a high density polyethylene wax to its melting point (ca. 130 C.) and above, e.g., to 180 C. and stirring in from to percent, based on the wax, of carboxylic reagent, e.g., maleic anhydride and continuing heating for 60-90 minutes. Temperatures of reaction either in solution or in the melt above about 250 C. confer no added benefit in speed of reaction or quality of modified wax obtained and, hence, will not be ordinarily used. The modification reaction can be effected under pressure to prevent undue volatilization of carboxylic reagent. The viscosity of the melted polyethylene waxes, e.g., 250-1000 centipoises at 2000 C. is such that rapid stirring of the carboxylic r6- agent is easily accomplished. The exact manner or order of addition of the reactants is not critical, Any excess carboxylic reagent is removed after the reaction as by vacuum distillation or like technique.

The term carboxylic reagent as used herein refers t an organic compound containing at least one carboxyl group selected from the group consisting of (1) alphaunsaturated monocarboxylic acids having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, as for example, acrylic acid, crotonic acid, sorbic acid and the like, (2) alpha-unsaturated dicarboxylic acids having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms, as for example maleic acid, tetrahydrophthalic acid, fumaric acid, glutaconic acid, itaconic acid and the like, (3) mercapto carboxylic acids having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms. As for example, 2-mercapto acetic acid (commonly called thioglycolic acid), 3-mercapto propionic acid, 4- mercapto butyric and Z-mercapto succinic acid, 2-mercapto adipic acid, and the like, (4-) anhydrides of the foregoing acids, for example maleic anhydride and the like, and (5) esters of the foregoing acids, for example the ethyl ester of thioglycolic acid and the like all of these carboxylic reagents are capable of undergoing an 4 addition reaction to one or more olefinic linkages occurring in polyethylene waxes. I

In one embodiment of the present invention adhesionability to decorative coatings is imparted to polyolefins by incorporating a carboxylic reagent modified olefin polymer wax into polyolefin resins. The incorporation is conveniently effected by blending the modified olefin polymer wax and the polyolefin together as by fluxing on a two-roll mill or in a Banbury mixer until the mixture is substantially homogeneous. Or the incorporating can be carried out in an extruder or any other mixing or compounding device known to the artfor incorporating additives in. thermoplastics. The amount of modified wax incorporated into the polyolefin will vary with the particular end use envisioned for the compounded resin, e.g., the relative end useabuse the coating must withstand. Generally from'0.05 to 25 parts, preferably from 0.1' to l0 parts by weight of the modified wax is sufiicient to 'impart adhesionability to the polyolefin base resin. Particularly from 3 to 5 parts by weight of the modified wax per parts by weight of the compounded polyolefin composition is desirable.

The modified wax'containing decorative coating adherent polyolefin composition can contain as well colorants, modifiers, fillers, stabilizers, flame retardants and other conventional additives for thermoplastic resins in reasonable amounts. The polyolefin compositions containing the modified wax are formable by known techniques into films, sheeting, coatings and other surface providing contours all possessing adhesionability to decorative coatings. These compositions can, therefore, be employed as veneer coatings applied either as film or from the melt on less impervious but printable substrates without loss of printability; or used as the sandwich layer in laminate constructions comprising one clear substrate with a similar or dissimilar polymeric, metallic, cellulosic, fibrous or nonfibrous substrate; or these compositions can be used as primer coatings to enable the adhesion of decorative coatings to otherwise non-adherent substrates.

In another embodiment of the present invention adhesionability to decorative coatings is imparted to polyolefin surfaces by coating the surface to be decoratively coated with a layer of modified wax. The application of the wax to the surface can be readily accomplished by the use of a hot melt solution or emulsion of the wax, roller coating, dip coating, spray coating or otherwise contacting the substrate with the wax.

In another embodiment of the present invention adhesionability to polyolefin surfaces is imparted to decorative coatings, e.g., printing inks. In general, the printing ink compositions of the present invention are prepared by adding to conventional printing inks the carboxylic reagent modified olefin polymer waxes described herein.

Typical preparative techniques include fine grinding the modified wax e.g., in a micropulverizer, micronizer or pebble mill, and blending with the conventional ink ingredients e.g., one or more pigments or dyes and other modifiers in any convenient manner and at any time in the preparation of the inks. For example, the modified wax can be added to a pigment which is then let down to the desired viscosity by addition of some liquid, e.g., organic solvents such as aromatic hydrocarbons. Alternatively, the modified wax and pigment or dye can be preblended, e.g., by fluxing the modified wax on a tworoll mill, gradually adding and grinding in the pigment or dye and removing the blend obtained as a sheet or pigment chip. Or a pre-blend can be made by incorporating the pigment or dye in a melt of the modified Wax, as simply as by stirring to homogeneity, allowing the melt to cool and then handling as a pigment chip. If desired and advantageously with the modified waxes herein described, an aqueous emulsion of the wax can be prepared (as described below) and the emulsion blended with the pigment or dye. Preferably the pigment or dye is then added in some compatible liquid medium, e.g., water or alcohol. Also the pigment chips described above can themselves be emulsified and thus made into inks. In each of the foregoing techniques the conventional additives and modifiers for ink formulation can be present in the ink in the usual amounts. These additives and modifiers include among others fillers, modifying resins, driers, liquid carriers, flow control agents, and leveling agents.

The coloring compoundsused in the modifier ink compositions of the present invention are the conventionally used dyes and pigments. Examples of these compounds are pigments such as cadmium yellow, cadmium red, cadmium maroon, black iron oxide, titanium dioxide, chrome green, gold, silver aluminum and copper; and dyes such as alizarine red, Prussian blue, auram-in naphthol, malachite green and the like. v

The choice of ink formulation is widely variable and will be determined by the viscosity characteristics required by the particular printing method in which the ink is to be used. For example, fiexographic inks, which are used to print on film have low viscosities, e.g., 2225 seconds measured by a No. 2 Zahn cup, but silk screen inks, typically used to print on bottles and other containers, have very high viscosities e.g., 25,000 centipoises on a Brookfield viscometer. Generally from 5 to 50 parts by weight, preferably from 15 to 35 partsby weight, based on solids, of the modified wax is incorporated in 100 parts by weight of the commercially available inks.

The decorative coatings taught herein when contacted with the polyolefin surface can be in either the fluid state, as in normal printing, or the solid state as when the ink is supported prior to contact by adhesion to a substrate, which is then laminated via the ink or otherwise to the polyolefin.

The criticalities of hot melt or solution application to polyolefin surfaces or incorporation into polylefin or an ink formulation can beavoided by use of an anionic, cationic or non-ionic emulsion of the modified wax as the coating mixture. Typically anionic water emulsions are prepared by melting together the carboxylic reagent modified polyethylene wax and a fatty acid such as, for example, formic, acetic, propionic,'butyric, valeric, caproic, enanthylic, caprylic, perlagonic, capric, undecylic, laur-ic, tridecoic, myristic, pentadecanonic, palmitic, megaric, stearic, nondecylic, arachidic, behenic, carnaubic, hyenio, carborceric, cerotic,'laccroic, mellissic, montanic, psyllic, acrylic, crotonic, isocrotonic, vinylacetic, methylacrylic, tiglic, angelic, senecioic, hexenic, tetracrylic, hypogeic, oleic, elaidic, erucic, brassidic, propiolic, propynoic, tetrolic, 2-butynoic pentinoic, 2-pentionoic, amylpropiolic, palmitotic, stearolic, behen'olic, sorbic, linoleic and linolinic acids and the like.

These acids have the general formula wherein n is an integer from to 32 and x is an odd number from to +1 with the proviso that when n=0, x=+l. An amine soap is then added such as monoand triethanolamine, monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, morpholine, N,N-dimethylethanolamine and N,N- diethylethanolamine.,The mixture is stirred until thoroughly mixed. Water which has been heated to about 130 C. under pressure is added. Pressure being maintained, the mixture is then vigorously agitated in a suitable device, e.g., a bladed mixer, colloid 'mill or other shear producing apparatus to form the emulsion. A carboxylic reagent modified polyethylene wax solids content of from 5 to 50 percent is preferred in emulsions to be used in the ink compositions of this invention.

conventional techniques. The liquid of the emulsion is evaporated either by allowing the emulsion to stand at room temperature or preferably by force drying as by air movement around and/or application of heat to the emulsion. Upon drying there remains a non-tacky and non-blocking colored coating which is adherent to po-lyolefin surfaces and numerous other materials. It is critical at some stage of the application of all the decorative coatings of this invention to subject the coated surface to high temperatures e.g., 60 C. and higher for a brief period to secure maximum adhesion.

A particularly desirable use of the ink compositions of the present invention is in simultaneously rendering A more attractive and more adherent the polyolefin films The water emulsion of the maleic anhydride modified wax is readily mixed with both aqueous and alcoholic base pigment or dye inks and this mixture is easily coated onto or printed on a polyolefin substrate by any of the used in skin packaging, i.e., the formation of contoured containers for odd-shaped objects by drawing a vacuum on deformable film e.g., through holes in the surface of a relatively fiat and rigid substrate member to bring the film over and around the object to be packaged. The film clings on contact and thereby simultaneously anchors and protects the packaged object. This packaging technique is described in U.S.P. 2,885,735 to Groth, for example. It is, of course, essential to obtain great adhesion between the film and the relatively rigid substrate member. The present invention provides a means for securing this desired adhesion by printing on or coating the film or substrate with the inks of this invention to promote adhesion as well as decorate the substrate. Heretofore, conventional printing inks have required use of an adhesive layer between the ink and the film. The printing ink compositions of this invention obviate the extra step by being themselves adherent to both substrate and polyethylene film.

The following examples illustrate the practice of the present invention. All parts and pencentages are by weight unless otherwise stated.

EXAMPLE 1 A maleic anhydride modified polyethylene wax was prepared by extruding a 0.96 density resin from a screw extruder through a hot tube 48 inches in length, having a diameter of 3 inches and fitted with an axially positioned 278 inch diameter torpedo, at a rate of 32 pounds per hour. The torpedo was heated to 425 C.

. Sixty pounds of the resulting wax was reacted with 6 pounds of maleic anhydride for minutes at 220 C. in a 15 gallon autoclave equipped with a Dowtherm jacket and 'a 6 inch turbine agitator. The reaction product was recovered by stripping the excess maleic anhydride under 5 mm. Hg-pressure and removing the reaction product. The modified wax contained over 3 percent carboxyl (calculated as succinic acid) and had a viscosity of about 500 centipoises at C.

One hundred grams of the above prepared modified wax was mixed with 20 grams of morpholine, 20 grams of oleic acid and 300 grams of water. The mixture was charged to a pressure reaction vessel and heated to C. with agitation for /2 hour and immediately cooled. There was obtained a translucent emulsion having a solids content of about 30 percent (31.9%).

One hundred grams of silk screened ink (International Printing Co. #361 silk screen ink) was added to 50 grams of the 30% solids modified polyethylene wax emulsion.

Mixing was by manual stirring. The ink thus prepared was applied to a high density polyethylene bottle exterior.

The bottle had been given no previous treatment to promote adhesion. Application was by wiping. Final ink coating thickness was typical of silk screen ink applications. The ink coated high density bottle was heated briefly by passing through a propane gas flame at 55 ft./ min. Upon cooling and setting for 24 hours the ink coating samples were tested for ink adhesion first by laminating Scotch brand cellophane tape (trademark of Minnesota Mining and Mfg. Company) with hand pressure to the coated film surface and stripping it from the Ex ample l was duplicated but substituting a fiexographic ink (Bens'ing Brothers & Deeney Ink Company, X-Pliopake R4148 fiexographic ink) for the silkscreen ink and using 20 grams of the modified wax emulsion and 20 grams of the flexographic ink. Again excellent ink adhesion to the, unmodified polyethylene surface was achieved as indicated by no lift off by Scotch tape and no scratch by theabrasive scribe. p

EXAMPLE 3 Example 1 was duplicated but substituting a silk screen vacuum forming ink (International Printing Ink Company #600 Series vacuum forming ink-normally used for poly(vinyl chloride) substrates for the silk screen ink. Printing was by the silk screen process onto 21 mil high density polyethylene sheet. After only air drying, the sheet ink side out was vacuum formed over a deep draw (4.5 inches) male mold. The vacuum forming operation provided the heat necessary to adhere the ink composition. Lift off and scratch characteristics were excellent as in Examples 1 and 2.

EXAMPLE 4- Example 3 was duplicated but substituting polypropylene for the polyethylene. Results were excellent.

EXAMPLE 5 An aquous emulsion prepared substantially as in Example 1 but containing only 5 percent solids was coated onto a high density polyethylene bottle. The coated bottle was then printed on with a silk screen ink (International Printing Ink Company Polyfast silk screen ink). The printed bottle was oven dried at 170 C. for minutes and then passed through a propane gas flame rapidly (50 ft./min.). Adhesion and scratch resistance were tested as above and were found to be excellent.

EXAMPLES 6-10 Maleic acid modified waxes of the polymer of Examples 1-5 were tested and found to provide adhesion and abrasion resistance equal to maleic anhydride modified wax.

The ink formations described herein can be used in the dual role of obtaining decorative effects and promoting adhesion of polyethylene film to normally nonadherent substrates.

EXAMPLES 11-13 In these examples corrugated paperboard (Example 11), clay coated paperboard (Example 12) and patent coated paperboard (Example 13) are printed on with each of the three inks of Examples 1-3. The so printed paperboards are then employed as the relatively rigid substrate in skin packaging. Ordinarily in skin packaging, an adhesive primer placed on the printed or decorated paperboard substrate and activated by the heat of the packaging film accomplishes the bonding. In these examples no adhesive primer is applied to the film or the paperboard substrate, in order to demonstrate that the minor proportion modified olefin polymer wax containing printing ink of the present invention promotes bonding. The articles to be packaged were plastic bottle caps. The packaging film is heated by radiant means for 5-8 seconds until it begins to soften. This film is vacuum drawn over the cap and paperboard substrate in the known manner. Vacuumis maintained for 5 seconds. After the assembly is cooled; adhesion is inspected by lifting the'film from the substrate. Wherever the film contacted the printing ink 'of the invention,'tenacious adhesion between the film and the paperboard substrateis developed as evidenced by deep paper failure when the film is lifted from the substrate.

' In a control experiment the above procedure is duplicated but using the same commercial-printing inks without addition of the minor amount of modified wax. The film parted easily from the paperboard substrates with no fiber'failure occurring;

Similarly blister packaging the encapsulation of odd shaped objectsbetween a preformed bubble of relatively rigid film and a relativelyrigid substrate'member can be improved by the use of polyolefin film or sheeting as the bubble and modified ethylene polymer wax containing printing ink at the interface of the 'film or sheeting and the substrate. Also, the film can be printed on and adhered to an untreated substrate.

EXAMPLES 14-17 Examples. 11-13 are duplicated but substituting a printed film and an unprinted substrate. Results are identical. 1 EXAMPLE 18 A thioglycolic acid modified polyethylene wax was prepared by reacting 500 grams of a high density polyethylene wax, which had beenprepared by pyrolysis of high density polyethylene at '475" C. and at a rate of 6 pounds per hour through a /9, inch annular clearance in a pyroly sis tube, with 36 grams of thioglycolic acid at 145 C.

An emulsion of the modified wax was prepared by melting together 20' grams of oleic 'acid, grams of modified wax, and 20 grams of morpholine. The mixture was heated at C. and 800 parts of water were added under pressure. The blend was then stirred vigorously under pressure at C. to form the emulsion.

The emulsion is blended with a silk screen ink and coated onto low and high density polyethylene film in the manner of Example '1 Abrasion resistance and adhesion of the printing ink is excellent.

EXAMPLE 19 A solution of the maleic anhydride modified polyethylene wax of Example 1 in toluene is mixed with an organic base ink, and the mixture applied'to polyethylene sheet. The ink is air dried. Adhesion is excellent.

Using the modified wax of Example 1, a mixture of 1, 5, 10 and 20 parts of the wax and respectively99, 95, 90, and 80 parts of polyethylene are prepared by fl'uxing the components in a Banbury. The mixtures are extruded as films by thetrapped bubble process cooled, slit and wound. The films obtained are printed on 'with commercial printing inks. Adhesion'and scratch resistance are excellent as indicatedby no lift oif by Scotch tape or scratching from an abrasive scribe.

EXAMPLE 20 1. 'A laminate comprising a polyolefinsubstrate and printing ink free of the polymer wax subsequently described adhered to a surfacethereofby an adhesion promoter consisting of a modified olefin polymer .wax having a molecular'weight of from about 1000 to.about 5000 reactedwith a maleic acid anhydride.

9 2. A laminate comprising a polyolefin film, a printing ink free of the polymer wax subsequently described and a substrate, said printing ink being adhered to said polyolefin film by an adhesion promoter consisting of a modified ethylene polymer wax having a molecular Weight of 5 from about 1000 to about 5000 reacted with a maleic acid anhydride.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,925,354 2/1960 Berardinelli et al 10 2,938,016 5/1960 Johnson 2528.5 X 3,018,195 1/1962 Kelly et a1. 117138.8 3,216,885 11/1965 Schaufelberger 117-12 X OTHER REFERENCES Larsen, Industrial Printing Inks, Chapman & Hall, 1962, p. 1.

WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner.

117 12 10 M LUSIGNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

